Unbeaten Master Fay Wins G3 Concorde– Full Brother for Inglis Premier

Tara Madgwick - Saturday January 27

It’s been a good 24 hours for Mike and Debbie O’Donnell of Fairhill Farm with not one, but two Group winners produced from their NSW farm at Mulbring.

Master Fay sprints to an impressive victory in the G3 Brighthill Farm Concorde Handicap - Photo: Race Images

Master Fay sprints to an impressive victory in the G3 Brighthill Farm Concorde Handicap - Photo: Race Images

Former Hong Kong galloper Master Fay displayed a touch of real class when he scored a dominant victory in the Group III Brighthill Farm Concorde Handicap (1200m) at Ellerslie.

The Chad Ormsby-trained six year-old son of Deep Field was a $100,000 purchase out of the Highden Park Book 1 Sale draft at Karaka in 2019 by Ormsby as a pinhooking prospect but didn’t make it back to the sales ring and was sold to Hong Kong interests following some impressive trial wins.

He performed well in Hong Kong, winning his only start at Sha Tin in 2021 for trainer Caspar Fownes before soundness issues struck and he was eventually retired back to New Zealand by his owner who gave permission to Ormsby to try again with him if he stood up to a racing preparation.

Ormsby was patient with the well proportioned gelding giving him three trials in preparation for his New Zealand raceday debut over 1200m at Tauranga earlier this month which he won in fine style.

Stepped up to stakes company on Saturday, rider Vinnie Colgan bounced him away nicely from an inside gate to trail pacemaker Imwonderfultonight before dashing clear early in the run home to register a comfortable victory over the late closing Petrucci.

Chad Ormsby - Race Images

Chad Ormsby - Race Images

Ormsby cut an emotional figure as he accepted congratulations after the race.

“He is a horse who we managed to secure at Karaka and after we sold him we followed his career up in Hong Kong,” Ormsby said.

“He could have been anything but unfortunately he didn’t get to his best and we managed to get him back through the late Stuey Hale.

“To get him to a race like this has been a lot of hard work from a lot of people. and I was emotional before the race, let alone now.

“There are so many people to thank, but it’s just great to see what the horse can do as there is a lot ahead of him if we can hold him together.

“This was a good field but he got in on a light weight so we thought it was here for the taking.

“He is a day by day prospect as he is not the soundest so we will look after him as you have seen today what he can do.”

Colgan had been doing it hard to get down to the 53kg weight carried by his mount and was glad the race had panned out in his favour.

“It’s been a long day and I’m glad this ride was race two,” he said.

I’ve been on a pretty lean diet since Wednesday, mostly vegetables and no bread or nice food.

“This was well worth it as he is very smart, he is lightly raced and he did that well.”

Master Fay is now unbeaten in three starts with just under $262,000 in prizemoney earnings.

Master Fay was bred and sold by Fairhill Farm as a weanling at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale for $72,000.

Master Fay was bred and sold by Fairhill Farm as a weanling at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale for $72,000.

Master Fay is the 28th stakes-winner for Newgate Farm’s now retired Deep Field and was a successful weanling to yearling pinhook having been sourced from the Fairhill Farm draft at the 2018 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale for $72,000 by Bleakley Bloodstock.

Bred by Fairhill Farm’s Mike O’Donnell, he is the best of three winners from Keeping Score, a metro winning half-sister by Keeper to Group III winner Zacielo and to the dam of Group I winning sprinter Mercurial. Keeping Score is now in foal to Acrobat.

Fairhill Farm sold a weanling full brother to Master Fay last year for $180,000 at the Inglis Australian Weanling Sale and he is to be re-offered by Alma Vale/Kitchwin Hills Partnership at Inglis Premier as Lot 328.

In recent years, Fairhill Farm have taken to selling their entire draft as weanlings and Master Fay is the second Group winner in 24 hours bred and sold by the farm joining two year-old filly Hayasugi, who won the Group III MRC Blue Diamond Preview on Friday at Caulfield.

More Reading...
Backing Tomorrow’s Leaders: Sunline Trust and Stallion Auction Unite for the Future
On Saturday 26 July, the New Zealand thoroughbred breeding community will gather at the National Breeding Awards — not only to celebrate excellence, but to invest in the future of our people and our industry.
Sires With Winners - Monday July 14
Here is the full list of 25 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Qilin Queen First Group Winner for Pinatubo
As a Champion European 2YO by Shamardal, that did not win beyond 1400m, we might have expected Darley shuttler Pinatubo (IRE) to be a sharp juvenile sire, but that has not been the case in the Northern Hemisphere.
What Should Breeders Make of This?
When a stallion (who is standing at a fraction of his esteemed peers 2025 fees) leads the 2025 2yo Australian General Sires list by Winners to Runners, what if anything is this signalling to breeders?
Kneebone to Launch Training Career
Tauranga’s race meeting on July 6 marked the beginning of an exciting new venture for Nick Kneebone.
Hong Kong Win for Record Priced Deep Field
Not all expensive colts stay on the right track even when they win a stakes race on debut.
Sires With Winners - Sunday July 13
Here is the full list of 71 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Vale, Leading NZ Administrator Ian Boyland
New Zealand racing has lost a highly respected and popular administrator with the passing of Ian Boyland at the age of 81.
Colt from Aussie Glamour Girl Mosheen Setting the Pace at JRHA Select Sale
The first session of the 2025 JRHA Select Sale featuring yearlings is underway at Northern Horse Park in Hokkaido and the horse setting the pace is a colt from triple Australian Group I winning mare Mosheen.
Star Sprinting Mare Olentia Heads to Magic Virtual Sale
Outstanding racemare Olentia will provide buyers from around the globe an incredible opportunity when she is offered at next month's Magic Millions Virtual Sale.